OPP urge caution on winter roads

Rollover

Submitted photo

On January 25 the Britt and Area Fire Department (BAFD) was dispatched to a single-vehicle rollover on Highway 69 north of Point au Baril. The vehicle caught fire, but was extinguished by a passing motorist. The lone driver was extricated and taken to the West Parry Sound Health Centre with non-life threatening injuries.

Rollover

Submitted photo

Two women received minor injuries following another rollover just north of Point au Baril on January 24. The driver lost control and rolled the vehicle down a 50-foot embankment.

Three-car collision

Submitted photo

The female driver of the Toyota, was killed following a three-car collision, involving a minivan,on Highway 69 just south of Britt Monday afternoon.

PARRY SOUND - Vehicle collisions have become a regular occurrence on the roads.
Heavy snowfalls, freezing rain and poor visibility have made for hazardous driving conditions across the region. The situation became deadly on Monday as a collision on Highway 69 between north and southbound drivers resulted in a fatality.
The hazardous conditions show no sign of letting up. Temperatures are forecasted to become warmer, but the area is still expected to have icy roads.
Geoff Coulson, Warning Preparedness Meteorologist at Environment Canada, said based on the weather we’ve seen this week, just about anything can happen as the week goes on.
“Even as that temperature transitions to above the freezing mark, it could stay close to freezing at the road surface so things could stay slick,” said Coulson. “Folks should be aware that the other thing is there is some possibility for thunderstorm activity in the Parry Sound area because this air mass is very unsettled.”
Rainfall is expected to be substantial, with between 30 and 35 millimeters expected by the evening today.
To reduce the danger for everybody, the Ontario Provincial Police has released a series of tips for drivers. The best thing people can do to stay safe when the roads are hazardous is to avoid driving altogether by cutting out unnecessary trips.
If that’s not possible, there are several things that can make a drive safer. First, the OPP urges everyone to avoid aggressive driving and to slow down in winter weather. Always give yourself more time than usual to arrive at your destination and maintain a significant distance between vehicles.
Slowing down and maintaining distance can provide those crucial additional seconds to stop to avoid a collision.
It will also likely reduce the severity of a collision which could be the difference between life and death.
The icy weather has kept local towing services busy moving vehicles and pulling cars out of ditches.
Jade Constable, of Constable Towing & Recovery, said recently there has been an increase in vehicle problems.
“In winter there is always periods of time when it’s worse than others. Overall, it’s been less than normal for the whole winter, but, lately, in the last two or three weeks, it’s been more than the normal,” Constable said.
The most common type of incidents requiring towing services have been people sliding off the roads and needing help to get back on a surface where their tires will have traction.
Constable is predicting that the driving situation won’t be improving in the near future.
“I think when the temperature goes up and then comes back down it will probably be crazy,” Constable said.
The OPP suggests that all vehicles carry winter kits filled with items that can help them out in the event of an emergency. The kit should include blankets, matches, a bag of sand for generating traction, tools, booster cables, something to use as a distress flag and bottled water.
For Parry Sound High School students, the cold weather has been somewhat of a blessing. Multiple snow days have resulted in the exams originally scheduled for Monday being moved to Thursday.
For regularly updated road information, contact the Ontario Travelers Road Information Line by dialing 511.